Description

An international educational and scientific meeting that focuses on the clinical implications of breast cancer genetic and phenotypic subtyping. New data and promising studies that provide information about how to optimally individualize breast cancer therapy will be discussed and controversial issues debated in panel discussions. Strategies for optimizing the use of endocrine therapy, conventional chemotherapy, and targeted therapies will be presented. Evolving diagnostic approaches to identify the driving mutations or pathways in breast cancers will be thoroughly discussed along with the therapies targeting those mutations. Controversial issues in the surgical and radiotherapeutic management of breast cancer will also be discussed and debated. The format will include didactic sessions from thought leaders, question-and-answer panel discussions, and ample time for participant interaction with faculty.

Target Audience

This educational program is directed toward medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists interested in the treatment of patients with breast cancer. Fellows, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, researchers, and other health care professionals interested in the treatment of breast cancer are also invited to attend.

Venue

Additional Information

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this congress, you should be able to:
Discuss the key highlights from preclinical and clinical breast cancer research presented or published in the past year, including summaries from major international conferences
Review the benefits and limitations of contemporary surgical and radiation oncologic principles and techniques for optimizing the benefit-risk ratio for local therapy
Assess the utility of algorithms, clinical criteria, and genomic tools to assess recurrence risk and predict benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and HER2-targeted therapy for individual patients
Integrate knowledge of the technology and rationale for biomarker and gene profiling into decision making for early-stage breast cancer
Review the latest clinical data on adjuvant endocrine therapy, including up-front versus switching strategies and extended therapy with selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors
Evaluate data from recent adjuvant chemotherapy clinical trials and use them to optimize and individualize treatment for patients with early-stage breast cancer
Apply key data on bisphosphonates from trials assessing outcomes on bone health and recurrence risk to the management of patients in defined clinical scenarios
Apply data and guidelines on the use of targeted therapies for early-stage and advanced breast cancer to optimize patient selection and therapeutic benefit
Individualize the management of patients with chemotherapy-refractory advanced breast cancer
Identify important growth and survival pathways, including pathways for steroid hormone receptors, the HER/ErbB family, PARP, IGFR, and mediators of angiogenesis, as well as the novel agents that target those pathways
Discuss the mechanisms of action of emerging chemotherapeutic, endocrine, and biologic agents; the rationale for and efficacy of novel combination regimens; and their potential place in therapy
Guide patients to promising clinical trials